1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an economical disposable self-standing, wind up generic tube squeezer.
2. Description of the Related Art
The related art describes various tube squeezers, some of which appear to be similar. However, in this crowded art, there are significant differences between the related art devices and the present invention which will be pointed out. The pertinent art of interest will be discussed in the order of their perceived relevance to the present invention.
Austria Patent No. 212,770 issued on May 15, 1960, describes a three-part standing tube squeezer having a housing which is triangular in cross-section with an open top and bottom. The grip knob is attached to a slotted roller having a head at the opposite end. A tethered cap is attached to the holder at some point as best understood. A significant difference resides in the construction of the roller and grip knob vis-a-vis the detachable locking guard piece which permits the versatility of being able to remove the keyed shaft from the housing for replacement if deemed necessary for repair in the present invention. Another significant difference resides in the ergonomic shape of the housing of the present invention which permits hand-holdable use.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,920,157 issued on Nov. 18, 1975, to Yim-Hei J. Yeung describes a standing plastic tube squeezing device consisting of three parts. The housing is asymmetrically shaped with the flat front wall having an open slot leading to the front opening. The front opening leads into an integrated hollow cylindrical portion or tube which has an aperture in the flat rear wall for the end of the keyed shaft. The keyed end of the hollow shaft has an annular step on a disc. The shaft has a slot which extends from the stepped end to the opposite end of the shaft which is flared and snapped into place. It is believed that the strain of winding up the collapsed tube portion would be destructive on the flared and slotted end of the shaft. The differences in the structures between the devices of the reference and the present invention are as follows: (1) The opening for the tube in the housing extends from the side opening for the handle up to the top which results in weakness of the housing; (2) The shaft is enclosed in a cylinder which limits the volume of flattened tube being wound; (3) The device must be made of flexible plastic which will exclude a metal composition; and (4) The tube end is inserted in the extended slot of the shaft before insertion of the shaft into the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,223 issued on Jun. 1, 1993, to Sang S. Lee describes a squeezing and dispensing device for a toothpaste tube. A trapezoidal shaped housing has a winding key with a gear holder for a slotted shaft attached to the winding key with an inner annular gear and an outer threaded handle. The toothpaste tube is inserted from a side opening and into the slot of the shaft. The rotation of the winding key is held by a gear holder spring with an external push button for release of the spring. The dispensing device is similar in concept but overly equipped with gearing and a rachet pawl release. The present invention is inexpensive to manufacture and can be disposed with the empty toothpaste or the like tube still inside the holder-squeezer device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,945 issued on Nov. 24, 1981, to Eugene Dworkin describes a standing toothpaste dispenser made from resilient Lucite (TM) plastic. A W-shaped retainer clip is maintained within a pyramidal housing with mouth-forming opposite side walls and opposite open regions. A key on a partially slotted pin traps the crimped end of the tube and maintains the rolled up tube end between the side walls and the retainer clip. The dispenser structure bears little resemblance to the present invention except for the winding key. There is no suggestion for holding the dispenser in one's hand for depositing the viscous fluid on other materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,525,457 issued on Aug. 25, 1970 and reissued as Re. 27,689 on Jun. 26, 1973, to Else Hausmann et al. describe a device for holding and emptying tubes similar to the device of Dworkin. The notable differences are the addition of a plate spring which snap-fits into the housing below the shaft and the key handle is cylindrically shaped. The base can be equipped with a magnet or a suction cup. The resulting structure is seen to be clearly distinguishable from the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,652,950 issued on Sep. 22, 1953, to Frederick A. Major describes a holder and dispenser for a collapsible tube consisting of a hinged tube holding bracket on a fixed base. The bracket is tipped by means of a finger grip to insert the tube end into a slot of the shaft, and the bracket is returned to a vertical position. The tube contents are dispensed by utilizing an elongated operating arm oscillating a ratchet wheel attached to the shaft. The device has manifold parts which would distinguish this reference from the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,263,610 issued on Nov. 23, 1993, to Naomi Okamura et al. describes a tool for squeezing out high-viscosity liquid from a tube container consisting of a rectangular hollow holder body with apertured circular bearing end portions for holding a tubular slotted spool shaft with a wing handle. The bearing end portions can be opened in the rear similar to a box wrench head with teeth which engage projecting teeth or a localized roughened surface of the spool shaft. Slits are provided in the apertures of the bearing portions for spool shaft. There are no holding means for the spool shaft on either end which together with the predominantly open housing would distinguish this two-piece device from the present invention.
Australia Patent Application No. 114,347 published on Dec. 18, 1941, for Walter Ellis et al. describes a wall hung collapsible tube expressing bracket with cheeks and a forward curved lower portion. The cheeks hold a restraining bar and a keyed shaft. The shaft can have legs unequal in length to hold the tube end or configured as a stem with turned over sides to engage the tube end. The three-part structure with its holding rod and forward curved lower portion is distinguished by its clear difference as compared to the present invention.
France Patent Application No. 598,560 published on Dec. 19, 1925, for an apparatus for use with tubed products. An open curved bracket with apertures on the top and bottom flanges anchor the device on a wall. A handle on a slotted spindle winds up the toothpaste tube while the toothpaste is squeezed out downwardly. There is no suggestion for modifying this device to be free standing.
United Kingdom Patent Application No. GB 2,113,172 A published on Aug. 3, 1983, for Joseph W. Hurley describes a wall-mounted toothpaste dispenser which is a box with an aperture on top for the nozzle. A knobbed spindle on the bottom resting in vertical slots winds up the tube squeezing out the toothpaste. A full front cover permits access to the interior of the box. There is no suggestion for a free standing dispenser.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a tube squeezer solving the aforementioned problems is desired.